Therewith, all fraught with fury and disdaine, viii He brayd aloud for very fell despight, And sodainely t’auenge him selfe againe, Gan into one assemble all the might Of all his hands, and heaued them on hight, Thinking to pay him with that one for all: But the sad steele seizd not, where it was hight, Vppon the childe, but somewhat short did fall, And lighting on his horses head, him quite did mall. Downe streight to ground fell his astonisht steed, ix And eke to th’earth his burden with him bare: But he him selfe full lightly from him freed, And gan him selfe to fight on foote prepare. Whereof when as the Gyant was aware, He wox right blyth, as he had got thereby, And laught so loud, that all his teeth wide bare One might haue seene enraung’d disorderly, Like to a rancke of piles, that pitched are awry. Eftsoones againe his axe he raught on hie, x Ere he were throughly buckled to his geare, And can let driue at him so dreadfullie, That had he chaunced not his shield to reare, Ere that huge stroke arriued on him neare, He had him surely clouen quite in twaine. But th’Adamantine shield, which he did beare, So well was tempred, that for all his maine, It would no passage yeeld vnto his purpose vaine. Yet was the stroke so forcibly applide, xi That made him stagger with vncertaine sway, As if he would haue tottered to one side. Wherewith full wroth, he fiercely gan assay, That curt’sie with like kindnesse to repay; And smote at him with so importune might, That two more of his armes did fall away, Like fruitlesse braunches, which the hatchets slight Hath pruned from the natiue tree, and cropped quight. With that all mad and furious he grew, xii Like a fell mastiffe through enraging heat, And curst, and band, and blasphemies forth threw, Against his Gods, and fire to them did threat, And hell vnto him selfe with horrour great. Thenceforth he car’d no more, which way he strooke, Nor where it light, but gan to chaufe and sweat, And gnasht his teeth, and his head at him shooke, And sternely him beheld with grim and ghastly looke. Nought fear’d the childe his lookes, ne yet his threats, xiii But onely wexed now the more aware, To saue him selfe from those his furious heats, And watch aduauntage, how to worke his care: The which good Fortune to him offred faire. For as he in his rage him ouerstrooke, He ere he could his weapon backe repaire, His side all bare and naked ouertooke, And with his mortal steel quite throgh[362] the body strooke.